diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index ec8aa7b..b218445 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export(edit_yml)
 export(init)
 export(preview)
 export(publish)
+export(quick_init)
 export(releases)
 export(status)
 exportClasses(BiocBook)
diff --git a/R/doc.R b/R/doc.R
index 7d5e70b..903c1a2 100644
--- a/R/doc.R
+++ b/R/doc.R
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ NULL
 #' `BiocBook`s are local R packages containing an extra `pages` folder to 
 #' write up online book chapters.
 #' 
-#' 1. A new `BiocBook` should be created using `init(new_package = "...")`.  
+#' 1. A new `BiocBook` should be created using `init(new_package = "...")` (or 
+#' alternatively, locally with `quick_init(new_package = "...", user = "...")`).  
 #' 2. A newly created `BiocBook` can be accessed to in R using `biocbook <- BiocBook(path = "...")`. 
 #' 3. To edit an existing `BiocBook` object, several helper functions exist: 
 #'   - `add_preamble(biocbook)` 
@@ -112,6 +113,37 @@ NULL
 #' 
 #' The `init(new_package = "...")` function returns a `BiocBook` object. 
 #' 
+#' @section Quickly create a local `BiocBook`: 
+#' 
+#' Alternatively, a **local** `BiocBook` can be quickly created using the 
+#' `quick_init(new_package = "...", user = "...")` function.  
+#' 
+#' This function only creates a new **local** repository, using the 
+#' `BiocBook` template from `js2264/BiocBook`. 
+#' 
+#' It does **NOT**: 
+#' 
+#' - Check that the provided package name is available;
+#' - Set up/push the local repository to a **remote** Github repository; 
+#' - Set up a `gh-pages` to serve rendered books; 
+#' 
+#' This implies that functions committing/pushing (`publish()`)
+#' or checking remote status (`status()`) do not work properly with a 
+#' `BiocBook` initiated with `quick_init()`, unless a remote is manually 
+#' set up. 
+#' 
+#' To enable Github support for a local `BiocBook`, one has to manually 
+#' initiate a `git` repository and add a remote as follows: 
+#' 
+#' ```{sh eval = FALSE}
+#' git init 
+#' git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/devel
+#' git add . 
+#' git commit -m 'first commit'
+#' git remote add origin git@github.com:<user>/<biocbook>.git
+#' git push --set-upstream origin devel
+#' ```
+#' 
 #' @section Editing an existing `BiocBook`:
 #' 
 #' `BiocBook` objects can be modified using the following helper functions: 
@@ -156,6 +188,7 @@ NULL
 #' @param new_package Name to use when initiating a new `BiocBook`. 
 #' This name should be compatible with package naming conventions 
 #' from R and Bioconductor (i.e. no `_` or `-`, no name starting with a number).
+#' @param user Ideally, the Github ID of the main author/organization.
 #' @param push Optional. Logical, whether to automatically push commits to 
 #' remote Github origin. If NA, a prompt will ask whether to push commits or 
 #' not (default: NA). 
diff --git a/R/init.R b/R/init.R
index cfe5e32..948756c 100644
--- a/R/init.R
+++ b/R/init.R
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ init <- function(
 
 }
 
+#' @rdname BiocBook
+#' @export
+
+quick_init <- function(new_package, user) {
+    .init_folder(new_package, user)
+    invisible(BiocBook(new_package))
+}
+
 .preflight_checks <- function(new_package, skip_availability = FALSE, .local = FALSE) {
 
     cli::cat_rule("Running preflight checklist", col = "cyan", line = 2)
diff --git a/man/BiocBook.Rd b/man/BiocBook.Rd
index d158cd8..2d8abee 100644
--- a/man/BiocBook.Rd
+++ b/man/BiocBook.Rd
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 \name{BiocBook}
 \alias{BiocBook}
 \alias{init}
+\alias{quick_init}
 \alias{BiocBook-class}
 \alias{releases}
 \alias{chapters}
@@ -16,6 +17,8 @@
 \usage{
 init(new_package, push = NA, skip_availability = FALSE, .local = FALSE)
 
+quick_init(new_package, user)
+
 BiocBook(path)
 
 releases(object)
@@ -45,6 +48,8 @@ not (default: NA).}
 \item{.local}{Should only be used for examples/tests. Whether to create a
 matching Github repository or stay local (default: FALSE).}
 
+\item{user}{Ideally, the Github ID of the main author/organization.}
+
 \item{path}{Path of an existing \code{BiocBook}.}
 
 \item{object}{A \code{BiocBook} object, created by \code{BiocBook} or \code{init()}.}
@@ -62,7 +67,8 @@ information related to the \code{bb} BiocBook.
 \code{BiocBook}s are local R packages containing an extra \code{pages} folder to
 write up online book chapters.
 \enumerate{
-\item A new \code{BiocBook} should be created using \code{init(new_package = "...")}.
+\item A new \code{BiocBook} should be created using \code{init(new_package = "...")} (or
+alternatively, locally with \code{quick_init(new_package = "...", user = "...")}).
 \item A newly created \code{BiocBook} can be accessed to in R using \code{biocbook <- BiocBook(path = "...")}.
 \item To edit an existing \code{BiocBook} object, several helper functions exist:
 }
@@ -109,6 +115,39 @@ This function performs the following operations:
 The \code{init(new_package = "...")} function returns a \code{BiocBook} object.
 }
 
+\section{Quickly create a local \code{BiocBook}}{
+
+
+Alternatively, a \strong{local} \code{BiocBook} can be quickly created using the
+\code{quick_init(new_package = "...", user = "...")} function.
+
+This function only creates a new \strong{local} repository, using the
+\code{BiocBook} template from \code{js2264/BiocBook}.
+
+It does \strong{NOT}:
+\itemize{
+\item Check that the provided package name is available;
+\item Set up/push the local repository to a \strong{remote} Github repository;
+\item Set up a \code{gh-pages} to serve rendered books;
+}
+
+This implies that functions committing/pushing (\code{publish()})
+or checking remote status (\code{status()}) do not work properly with a
+\code{BiocBook} initiated with \code{quick_init()}, unless a remote is manually
+set up.
+
+To enable Github support for a local \code{BiocBook}, one has to manually
+initiate a \code{git} repository and add a remote as follows:
+
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="sourceCode sh">}}\preformatted{git init 
+git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/devel
+git add . 
+git commit -m 'first commit'
+git remote add origin git@github.com:<user>/<biocbook>.git
+git push --set-upstream origin devel
+}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
+}
+
 \section{Editing an existing \code{BiocBook}}{